The points of issue
Hardcover in boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket priced accordingly. The UK first uses the title Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem; the US edition was retitled The Trial of Elizabeth Cree.
Is this the true first?
The UK Sinclair-Stevenson edition of 1994 is the true first and precedes the US edition (Nan A. Talese / Doubleday, 1995), which appeared under the changed title The Trial of Elizabeth Cree.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US edition is a separate first-thus published under a different title; it does not precede the UK first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hardcover in boards with gilt spine lettering, in dust jacket priced accordingly. The UK first uses the title Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem; the US edition was retitled The Trial of Elizabeth Cree.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The UK Sinclair-Stevenson edition of 1994 is the true first and precedes the US edition (Nan A. Talese / Doubleday, 1995), which appeared under the changed title The Trial of Elizabeth Cree.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The US edition is a separate first-thus published under a different title; it does not precede the UK first.
I have a first edition of Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.